Striking Butler union workers staging 30-hour sit-in at Care New England headquarters

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Striking Butler Hospital workers are staging a 30-hour sit-in in front of Care New England headquarters in Providence to represent the 30 days of their strike for a new contract.

According to Amelia Abromaitis, a representative of Butler Hospital union SEIU 1199NE, hundreds of striking Butler workers are marking one month since they began their strike with the sit-in that started at 11 a.m. Thursday.

The statement reads in part:

They are demanding that Michael Wagner, Care New England CEO, and Mary Marran, Butler Hospital President, stop prolonging the return to the bargaining table and settle a fair contract, with or without a federal mediator.

The union began their strike due to what they call an impasse in contract negotiations with Butler for pay increases and safety improvements for SEIU 1199NE’s 800 workers at the facility.

Since the strike, Butler Hospital has terminated striking workers’ health insurance and posted job listings to replace permanent hospital workers.

Butler Hospital has said that union representatives walked away from bargaining on May 7.

The hospital also stated that they started a search for replacement workers in order to ensure patient care at Butler.

Both sides returned to the bargaining table on June 4 and June 5 and are working on a plan for future sessions.

When reached for comment, Butler Hospital President and COO Mary Marran said:

Butler Hospital remains fully committed to reaching a fair and fiscally responsible agreement with SEIU 1199 NE, one that recognizes the vital contributions of our staff and ensures we can continue delivering the safe, high-quality care our patients and community rely on.

We have a bargaining session scheduled for Tuesday, June 17, and hope SEIU 1199 NE will commit to engaging in a constructive, solutions-focused dialogue at that time.

While we respect the right to peaceful demonstration, it is disheartening that after 29 days on strike, the union appears more focused on public theatrics than on returning to the bargaining table to achieve real progress.

We urge SEIU 1199 NE to prioritize the negotiation process so that together we can reach a sustainable agreement that honors our workforce and protects the long-term sustainability of Butler Hospital and the patients we are privileged to serve.